Nordel Way / Brooke Road Intersection Needs Improvements

On November 28, 2006, we wrote to Delta Council about the
intersection at Brooke Road and Nordel Way:

Delta’s number one priority in an emergency should be
the safety of its citizens. When traffic signals at major intersections
are out of order, we need someone directing traffic until the signals
are functioning.

Last week, as a result of the power outages, the traffic
light at Nordel Way and Brooke Road was out for two days – yet no one
was dispatched to direct traffic.

At least one collision did occur. One of our residents
was sent to hospital.

Nordel Way, a 4-lane regional highway, was pushed
through an existing residential community. Children must cross Nordel in
either direction to attend school (elementary school to the North, high
school to the South). Residents must also cross this truck and commuter
route to access community facilities such as the library, the recreation
centre, and Sungod; and to access local, Delta shopping.

Brooke Road is Sunbury’s one remaining link to the rest
of North Delta. At Brooke Rd, residents cross paths with a near-steady
stream of regional traffic (2200 vehicles pass straight through this
intersection during the am peak hour; 3000 vehicles pass straight
through during the pm peak hour)

.
This intersection is bad enough at the best of times.

To cross these 4 lanes of traffic without the aid of the
traffic lights is worse than daunting. It is dangerous. Nordel Way
will continue to be a source of risk for our community. Power outages
and emergency situations will happen from time to time. We need a better
response. We need someone directing traffic when this traffic light
isn’t working.

Sunbury Neighbourhood Association.

On January 10, 2007, we got the following response from
Tim Murphy, Delta's Manager of Roads and Transportation:

Dear Pat Lavery,

Thank you for your email of December
11, 2006 addressed to Mayor and Council regarding traffic control at
the intersection of Brooke Road and Nordel Way during power
outages. Your email has been directed to both the Delta Police and
Engineering for a response. The Delta Police will respond in a
separate email.

Delta is proposing to install back-up
power supply at some traffic signals in 2007. The current
technology of back-up power could power a traffic signal for about 4
hours and operate the traffic signal in a flash mode for about an
additional 4 hours. We are still scoping the project to determine
what equipment would be necessary, the cost of installation, and
which intersections should receive this improvement first. However
the intersections along Nordel Way are a high priority for this
application. We will provide you with more information once the
project has been further developed and the capital program has been
approved.